"You must be careful they see more than you know." He went into her hand as a ball of light. They flew through everything permanently lighting the way through the inner spirit. Hitomi almost passed out when the soul of the boy released itself and her.

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He waved his hand over the pull of water. At first you could see nothing but a flying light but then the black dropped allowing him to see a woman with jade eyes traveling at light speed not even to be touched. In her eyes he saw the worry for someone else. He focused on the woman, he saw a black haired young man with wine colored jade eyes.

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"Yes but why show me when I am to be captured."

"They will do you service when the time comes and they will only be able to get your name when they take you."

"Why you arrogant… How do you know what will be pulled out of me!"

"Why don't you ask the voices that speak to you? They hold the answers that you seek and then some." Vanel walked away.

She looked once more knowing he would allow her right now. She saw him smile sadly down at her while he held her unconscious body. "What's going to happen?" She whispered to his disappearing form.

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Disclaimer: I don't own them. I merely enjoy writing them.

Chapter 22

Hitomi, I don't know that they weren't able to see anything. I wasn't able to hold the shield up for as long as you were in there." Celena bowed her head in apology.

"You did well Celena. I know what I need now." Hitomi stood on shaky legs. Analous stood behind her. "I'll be fine Analous." She waved him off. "Release him. He is to follow us."

"Lady Hitomi is that a good idea?" Analous asked.

She nodded her head as the man was released to follow closely in front of

Analous.

Van looked up from his papers. "You find anything?"

"I did." She took a paper and began to draw two pictures. "These are the two that we're looking for. We will come across Princess Najeh and must break this hold over her at the party." Hitomi handed him her picture. The other picture she handed him, "I don't know who he is."

"Let's see if we can find out." Van called a meeting.

"We'll be going to that party evidently. We have to look for Princess Najeh and this character." He showed the picture around. "We have to look for my son as well."

"Van, do you know who this person is?" Dryden asked.

"Iie, why?"

"He's my father." The group looked at him in silence.

"That's your father?" Hitomi reiterated shocked.

"Yes, he is." Dryden looked out the window to busy streets beneath the castle.

"He was the one that tried to kidnap me the first trip here."

Merle looked at her. "Meiden sent the lizards after you."

"You asked me if there was something wrong with me because I was stupid enough to allow geckos to kidnap me."

Merle had a tinge of red on her cheeks. "Well it doesn't matter now because he has Najeh. She is under his control but we mustn't allow it to stay that way." Millerna hadn't spoken when she realized who had her daughter.

"Millerna, don't worry we'll get her back.

Millerna left the room pale and emotionless. "We have to get Najeh back. Do you feel up to traveling Analous?"

"Yes." He bowed to his king.

"Good then pack up we'll be heading out tomorrow early in the morning." Van ordered. Whether he liked it or not they were going to be traveling and the group would be in more danger than they had ever been in.

"Bring the boy." Hitomi exited the room without any other words.

-Vanel-

Vanel felt the comfort of having his sword against his waist. He knew he couldn't pull it out and use it but it was still nice to know that it was there. They had been walking for two days almost nonstop after they had been cordially escorted out. Princess Xena had given Vanel a kiss on the cheek and wished him luck. The other women had cried at his exit. Vanel shook his head.

He wasn't really interested in that though. He had been getting a very bad feeling that they were about to go through a nightmare. If it wasn't here then it would be elsewhere and it wouldn't take long for it to take place.

-Loanna-

Loanna was becoming worried about him. He had closed himself off for the last two days. The only time he had opened up was when he had been training her. However, then he would completely clear his mind because he wanted her to concentrate on what he had told her to do. Her power had grown but she wasn't sure how much or what was next. Let me see if I can catch him unawares.' She had never tried to do this someone without looking them straight in the eye but she could at least try.

She kept up with them while they all walked and opened her mind. She reached out but she reached beyond Vanel. She saw naught but black voids with little white light that were almost imperceptibly impossible to see. All but one, unlike the rest of the group where no emotions lie, there was confusion here. The little white dot was a little bit bigger. There was question as if to wonder of this was right. She gasped as the blackness tried to completely over take her.

She felt Vanel begin to take her clear of the group. "What are you doing?"

'Trying to connect to you.' "I was trying to find some answers." She responded.

"What did you find?" He whispered leading her to the back of the line.

"I found nothing. No emotions. It was a black void that only holds a minuscule light. They hold no will, question nothing, think nothing, feel nothing… it was all consuming." She whispered.

-In another place-

"What's this I see?" A sorcerer looked into the water pool that kept them connected with their workers.

Another watched with interest. "This girl who is she?"

"I think it's time to start finding out."

"You may find this interesting." Another voice called out.

The group walked over to the other pool. "This is interesting."

"Why are you not working?" A voice walked in.

"Milord you may want to see this."

"What is this? One of our men captured and he has been broken free." The man was aghast at the thought. A face of a woman stood out. Her jade eyes held back none of the pain, the weariness, and the exhaustion that she currently felt. She had seen more than they had wanted anyone to see and more than anyone should have been able to see. It was Queen Hitomi and she had become more powerful in her long absence from Gaia.

"Bring her back to me." He ordered his people.

"Yes, milord." They bowed. They brought out one of the few people that they had left with them currently.

-Van-

"Lord Van, you wanted to see me." Analous bowed to him.

"Yes, we will be traveling by air. I want to get us there safely but we are still going to be in a lot of danger. I need you to be on watch for anything that moves or out of the ordinary."

"Lady Hitomi will be kept safe."

"Not just Lady Hitomi but also Lady Celena as well."

"Milord, no offense but it seems that they both are capable of taking care of themselves."

"I know but you can never be too certain."

Dryden walked in. "We all must be on our guard, Van."

"I know," Van placed his sword in place. His traveling cloak then went over his head.

-Vanel and Loanna-

"Do you feel that?" Loanna shuddered. The winds had changed.

"Yeah, tonight I stand guard and you get some sleep. We will not be training."

"What about you?" She asked worried.

"I'll be fine." He assured her.

-Celena-

Celena placed her blue cloak back on. Her bow and quiver lay across her chest and her dagger was hidden in her belt. They had to get to the New Atlantis preferably just before it was completed. It wouldn't take much time. "The Chosen One will come through." She spoke out loud.

-Hitomi-

Hitomi stepped out of her room dressed in pants with a sword at her side. She didn't care what Van said, she was sure that they were going to need the extra protection. Her hair was pulled back on a ponytail out of her way. Her cloak was in her arms, "Vanel I hope that you are alright. I'll see you in Atlantis." She whispered.

"Lady Hitomi, you look as you're ready to protect your cub." Celena came up by her side.

"My child is old enough to protect himself and his companion. We will meet him and her in Atlantis." Celena nodded. She knew mothers always shared a special bond with their children. She was sure that Hitomi's was especially powerful. "I fight for Gaia, as should you, Atlantis can not be revived." Hitomi led the way to the gardens.

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This chapter has been corrected. If it seems familiar that is the reason.